Guide to an Online Automotive Education

by Beau Johnson

The automotive industry is becoming more technologically-advanced every day. It is certainly a great advantage for mechanics-to-be to seek higher education in the automotive field, and also to continue that education to stay on the cutting edge of the trade. Now, automotive enthusiasts have the opportunity to explore their passion through online degree programs in car-care fields.

How Online Automotive Programs Work

Students enrolled in online automotive programs will typically have all necessary materials available to them on the Internet and through downloads. Additional materials may be mailed out for the student to have a means of studying independent of the Internet, if necessary. If students have questions, they can contact their instructor through e-mail or make an educational support phone call. Examinations are completed online and students move forward once they've completed their chapter testing.

Certification and continuing education programs are also available online for working mechanics, auto body professionals, and automotive instructors.

"The big advantage of online education is the convenience of not having to physically go to a location," said Kersten. "There are a number of organizations that provide online training. We do allow it to count towards our instructors' annual training, and ASE-certified programs helps technicians keep up with technology changes within the industry."

ASE certification is good for a five-year period, and then must be earned through testing again. See the ASE Test Preparation page for informationa on online test preparation.

Online Automotive Schools

The following are some of the options available to automotive students and professionals for online study: